EAGLE busts ₹3 crore hawala racket linked to Nigerian drug cartels

A sprawling international drug money laundering racket linked to Nigerian cartels operating across India was uncovered by Telangana’s Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) following the arrest of a foreign national identified as Onyeisi Esomchi Kenneth, also known as Maxwell Kenneth.

The accused was earlier arrested while attempting to sell cocaine and ecstasy pills in Hyderabad and was found to have routed more than ₹68 lakh in commissions to his associates abroad through hawala transactions.

Investigations revealed that the racket was coordinated by a network of hawala operators led by Chetan Mamania, Uttam Singh, Chetan Singh, Durga Ram and Chagan Lal.

The network collected drug money from Nigerians in Goa, amounting to nearly ₹25 lakh a day and ₹2.1 crore a week, before distributing it through merchants and adjusting it in hawala trade. The money was used to purchase baby frocks, garments, human hair and grocery items from Mumbai, which were shipped to Lagos via sea cargo from Mumbai and Chennai.

In a coordinated operation, 24 special Eagle teams conducted raids across Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Goa and Delhi, arresting 20 money launderers and accomplices.

Cash amounting to over ₹3 crore was seized. With these arrests, the total number of accused in the case has risen to 50, although a few key players remain absconding.

The probe also highlighted how foreign drug cartels, particularly Nigerians, continue to exploit India’s visa and passport system using multiple fake identities to re-enter the country.

Since 2010, as many as 323 NDPS cases in Telangana have led to the arrest of 353 foreign nationals. Despite repeated crackdowns, the cartels persist in routing cocaine from Latin America and synthetic drugs from parts of Europe into India, often using reputed international courier services such as DHL and FedEx.

Officials stressed that dismantling hawala channels and strengthening visa checks are essential to combat the menace.

Citizens have been urged to remain vigilant, verify the identity of foreign tenants, and report suspicious activities to the Eagle Force.